Filed Date: Feb. 19, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
On February 19, 2026, four individual plaintiffs filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against President Donald J. Trump, the Director of the Domestic Policy Council, the Executive Office of the President, and the National Park Service, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief to halt construction of a proposed 250-foot “Independence Arch” at Memorial Circle in Washington, D.C. The complaint alleged a non-statutory ultra vires cause of action and a constitutional Take Care Clause violation, asserting that defendants planned to construct the monument without congressional authorization required by the Commemorative Works Act and 40 U.S.C. § 8106. Plaintiffs further alleged that defendants failed to comply with statutory procedural requirements, including the National Historic Preservation Act and NEPA. They sought declaratory relief and preliminary and permanent injunctions barring construction unless and until all statutory prerequisites were satisfied.
The case was assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Ben Hefter (2/24/2026)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72301112/parties/lemmon-v-trump/
Chutkan, Tanya Sue (District of Columbia)
Liu, Wendy (District of Columbia)
Sansone, Nicolas (District of Columbia)
Zieve, Allison Marcy (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72301112/lemmon-v-trump/
Last updated Feb. 24, 2026, 12:27 p.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority
Key Dates
Filing Date: Feb. 19, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
individual plaintiffs, three of whom are former members of the military and one who is an architectural historian
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Donald J. Trump (- United States (national) -), Federal
Director of the Domestic Policy Council (- United States (national) -), Federal
Executive Office of the President (- United States (national) -), Federal
National Park Service (- United States (national) -), Federal
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
National Environmental Protection Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4321–4370f
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-00544
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief: